{3 minutes to read} A few weeks ago, I read an article in the New York Times by Jancee Dunn where she talks about the work of a couples’ therapist, Terrance Real, and how making assumptions about what the other person is thinking can escalate arguments, distort reality, and create worse problems between you and…
{4 minutes to read} In a previous article “Why Are We Afraid to Discuss Money?” we addressed the fear we may have when talking about finances. In this article, we will outline some small steps that you can take to start having those conversations. Couples living together make different financial arrangements between them. Some will…
{2 minutes to read} Talking about money with your partner is a subject frequently fraught with fear. For some people, it’s because they were raised in a family where money was never discussed. For others, these conversations always created a lot of tension within the family. I have worked with separating couples where one person…
{5 minutes to read} As you are facing the possibility of a separation and/or divorce, a multitude of questions and very valid concerns will likely run through your mind: Where will I live? How will I survive financially? How will I manage as a single parent? How will my children get through this? Will I…
{2 minutes to read} Separating or divorcing parents don’t always see eye to eye when creating parenting schedules or discussing how to divide their property. Occasionally, as they say, they get “stuck.” Each party thinks their position is the one that should be adopted and refuses to consider the other person’s request. While it is…
{2 minutes to read} Divorcing couples are often concerned about their young children having to travel a couple of times a week between their two homes yet at the same time, neither of them wants to be separated from their children for seven consecutive days. This is when nesting can be an option, at least…
{2 minutes to read} A separating or divorcing family needs to create a parenting plan to determine how they will share time with their children on weekdays, weekends, holidays, and vacations. It takes some effort to draw up these plans so that each parent can have meaningful time with them and ensure that transitions between…
This is a question that many people ask during their initial call regarding the divorce mediation process. While over three-quarters of the couples I meet with do complete the process, they don’t all work through it at the same pace, and other life circumstances can interfere which may bring the process to a halt. A…
{2 minutes to read} Acclaimed mediator, co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, and bestselling author William Ury was asked by a friend, “Do you think you could sum up the essence of all you’ve learned in one sentence? What can help us in these times of intense conflict?” Ury’s answer to the question was recently…
{2 minutes to read} Emotions can run very high during the divorce process, especially when having overly sensitive conversations where you push each other’s buttons as you discuss issues of disagreement. Both of you start arguing, talking loudly over one another. No one can hear anything anymore. It is time to stop and catch your breath.…